710212 - Lecture SB 06.03.18-19 - Gorakhpur

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710212SB-GORAKHPUR - February 12, 1971 - 47:12 Minutes

Devotee: Prabhupāda's morning lecture of the 12th February, 1971, at the new place, Niketana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa-niketana, in Gorakhpur.

Prabhupāda:

bhūtāni viṣṇoḥ sura-pūjitāni

durdarśa-liṅgāni mahādbhutāni

rakṣanti tad-bhaktimataḥ parebhyo

mattaś ca martyān atha sarvataś ca

(SB 6.3.18)

So the devotees are protected by the Viṣṇudūtas always, constantly. They are invisibly wandering all over the universe. We may see or not see, because we cannot see spiritual body with these material eyes. So even we do not see, the Viṣṇudūta is always protecting the devotees from the enemies.

As I have explained yesterday, devotees will have enemies. Kṛṣṇa had enemies. This world is such: envious. Ordinarily, they are envious. The whole world is full of enviousness. Even the greatest personalities like Indra, he is also envious. If somebody is undergoing great austerities, the Indra becomes envious. Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was meditating by the yoga process.

Immediately Indra became disturbed, "Oh, this man is practicing so much severe austerities. He may capture my post some day. So this man must be curbed down immediately." Just like in political party, everyone is thinking, "Oh, this man is becoming greater than me. So he should be curbed down, he should be checked. Otherwise, some day he may occupy my ministership." This is the position of the world. Everyone is envious.

So the devotees have, I mean to say, enemies. But the Viṣṇudūta protects, as Kṛṣṇa says, that kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31): "My dear Arjuna, you can declare on My behalf that a devotee will never be . . . a pure devotee . . ." Always remember—a pure devotee. Devotee means a pure devotee. Contaminated devotee is different.

Dvidha-bhakta and śuddha-bhakta. Those who are contaminated with material desires, with fruitive activities and mental speculation, they are contaminated devotees. They are not pure devotees. Pure devotees means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), no material desire, no action and fruitive activities, no mental speculation. So he is pure devotee.

So that pure devotee in transcendental position is always protected by the Lord. And His Viṣṇudūta is wandering everywhere. Just like Ajāmila. As soon as he was arrested by the Yamadūtas, immediately they approached. So as there are different police department—military police department, civil police department—similarly, there is transcendental police department. Don't be afraid. Yes. Here it is stated. So simply we have to be sincere devotee, and all protection will be given by Kṛṣṇa.

So rakṣanti bhakti, tad-bhaktimataḥ parebhyo mattaś ca. Now, Yamarāja says mattaś ca. Not only from the enemies, but mattaḥ, means "My men," the Yamadūtas. Because they were surprised. The Yamadūtas were surprised, "How is that? Some four-handed, very good looking persons came and checked our duty." So therefore Yamarāja said that "The devotees are protected from the Yamadūtas, by the men of Yamarāja." Mattaś ca, martyān atha sarvataś ca. Therefore a devotee has nothing to fear. He is protected from the attack of enemies, from the attack of Yamadūtas. How is that? There are many hundreds and thousands of instances—Prahlāda Mahārāja, Haridāsa Ṭhākura . . .

But don't think that a devotee will not have enemies. A devotee may have anything. Oh, he may be attacked by enemies. He may be attacked with severe type of diseases and so many things. But he will be protected. That is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee is neglected. That is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, that people may discover so many antibiotics or antiseptics for giving protection, or "anti" measures, but unless he is given protection by Kṛṣṇa, all those "anti" devices will not protect, help him. That is certain.

Therefore we should take protection only of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, our all protective measures will fail. Rāvaṇa . . . when Rāvaṇa was attacked by Rāmacandra . . . he was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, so he began to pray. Because life and death question, he was praying to Lord Śiva, "Please save me. I have served you so much." Rāvaṇa was so great devotee of Lord Śiva that he sometimes cut his head and offered to Lord Śiva. So . . . and Śiva was thinking very deeply what to do.

And Pārvatī was requesting that, "Your such a great devotee, he is in danger, and he is asking your help, and you are sitting idly? You are doing nothing? How is that?" Lord Śiva replied that, "It is not possible to protect him. It is not possible for me." So as a woman, sympathetic, she came out, and that, "If you cannot protect, then I shall go and protect Rāvaṇa." But she also could not protect. Therefore there is a . . . it is a verse, māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke: "If Kṛṣṇa desires to kill somebody, nobody can protect." And rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke: "And if Kṛṣṇa protects somebody, nobody can kill." This is the process. Mattaś ca martyān atha sarvataś ca.

Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Now, the Yamadūtas may be in doubt, that "You are Dharmarāja. You are the protector of all religious principles. You are entrusted. So how your business can be interfered by the Yamadūtas (Viṣṇudūtas)?" So Yamarāja is explaining what is real dharma. This is very important. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam.

(aside) You can take sleep over here. Don't be inattentive. Better sleep.

Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means . . . this is authority. Yamarāja is authority. What is dharma? What is religion? Now, he says—he is authority—"Dharma means what is enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is dharma." Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ na vai vidur ṛṣayaḥ: "The essence of dharma is not known even to the great sages." Na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ: "Not by the demigods."

Now, the authority, Dharmarāja, says that dharma cannot be manufactured by anybody, even great sages or demigods. But nowadays everyone is manufacturing a dharma, and the so-called rascals, they are supporting that, "As many opinions there are, all of them are good." Yata mata tata patha. That is the preaching of the Ramakrishna Mission that, "Anyone can manufacture his own. It is personal." Is it not? And I have seen in your country also this, the same opinion he gave that, "Everyone has got his personal religion." And there is the hippies also. They are against any organized religion. These things are going on.

But here, we see, dharma means . . . of course, it is a fact that you cannot make an organized religion by your concoction. So actually those who are religious, they have no difference opinion, because religion means enacted by God. God is one. So not that God makes one kind of religion for one kind of person and another kind of religion for another person. Real dharma is, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that, "Don't manufacture your own religion. Simply surrender unto Me, the one God." That is dharma.

Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Whatever the Supreme Personality says: "This is dharma," that is dharma. The same example, as I have given: law means which is enacted by the king or the government. You cannot manufacture laws by your whims. That is not possible. No. What to speak of you, here it is said: "Even great sages like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, they cannot also manufacture religion. And what to speak of the ordinary devas?" The Brahmā . . . Brahmā is the topmost of all the demigods. He cannot also manufacture religion. Nobody can. Here it is stated:

dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ

na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ

na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ

kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ

(SB 6.3.19)

So when such great personalities . . . na siddha-mukhyāḥ. Siddha-mukhyāḥ means the . . . there is a Siddhaloka. They are all yogīs. They have got all the eight kinds of yogic perfection, Siddhaloka. Therefore they are called siddhas. They have got all the siddhis—bhukti, mukti, siddhi. Siddhi means perfection. So far as material world is concerned, a siddha can have anything he desires. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. By yogic power one can have anything he desires. But that is not possible in this material world, but people try to achieve as far as possible these yogic powers. They are called eight kinds of siddhis, perfection.

So there is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. So here it is meant, siddha-mukhyāḥ. Mukhya means the chief of the siddhas. So they also cannot manufacture religion. Although they have got all the perfections of material existence, still, they cannot. Now, in this world, just like in Christian religion also . . . because in . . . what is that king? John? He did not like that one man cannot marry more than once. He started the Protestant religion. Is it not?

Devotee (1): King Henry, he did it . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: That means because . . . or whatever it may be, he thought, "Because I am king, I can start a religion." So that is not possible. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ, na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ (SB 6.3.19).

(aside) If somebody dozes, it gives me too much pain. And I asked you to go and sleep. It disturbs me, too much disturbs me. I tell you frankly. When I speak, or when I speak if somebody dozes, better not to sit. Sleep twenty-four hours, but don't make show like that, "I am sitting here and dozing." This is very much disturbing to me. Better frankly sleep. Why this should be? I do not know. What is the reason? You don't have full sleep? And if you don't have sleep, then extend. You make it eight o'clock. But sleep sufficiently. If six hours', seven hours' sleep is not sufficient, sleep thirteen hours, fourteen hours. But don't make dozing like this.

So Yamarāja says: "My dear boys," that . . . (reads commentary) Tam eva dharmam ity aha etavani na ca pramāṇaṁ vaktavyam drstatyady aha nama-sarana iti yenaiva kevalayam sakrd ity aditena. So Yamarāja says that "Nobody can manufacture, even the great sages or demigods, or the chief of the siddhas, who have attained all kinds of perfections, and what to speak of others?" This is very important verse, that any manufactured religion, that is not religion. That is not . . . the principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion. This is bhāgavata-dharma, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is specially teaching this, I mean to say, fact, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Na siddha-mukhyā asurāḥ, asurā manuṣyāḥ. Asurāḥ means they are also very powerful, but almost atheists. Just like in the modern world there are many powerful men and materially advanced. Many powerful men. But because they are godless—they have no sense of God—they are called asuras. The example is Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. And manuṣyāḥ, manuṣyāḥ, ordinary men.

So everyone is described here, that nobody can. You cannot say: "If the asuras cannot, then the demigods can, or the human society can, or the siddhas can." No. Everybody is denied that, "Nobody can manufacture the principles of religion." Kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ. There is a planet which is inhabited by the Vidyādharas and Cāraṇa. They are very expert in singing. Vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ.

Then he says . . . then who knows the secret of religion? He describes: svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Just like there are entrusted bodies in every department, in every state, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has got also several very faithful or confidential, confidential authorities who can speak about religion. Therefore paramparā system is so necessary, disciplic succession. Kṛṣṇa has got direct confidential servants. They know what is religion.

Therefore it is said, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If we are puzzled about the principles of religion, then we must follow the mahājanas. Mahājana. These mahājanas are described here. Who is mahājana? Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Brahmā. Svayambhū. He is called Svayambhū. Svayambhū means "One who is born by himself." Of course, he is not born by himself, but he is not ordinarily born. Just like a child is born by the sex intercourse of the father and the mother, Brahmā is not born like that.

There was no sex intercourse to beget Brahmā. Therefore he is called Svayambhū. Svayambhū. Automatically he has come out. He has come out from the father without the help of the mother. Therefore he is called Svayambhū. You know that there was a lotus flower from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and within that lotus flower, Brahmā appeared. Therefore he is called Svayambhū.

Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhū, and next, Nārada. Nārada is mahājana. Svayambhū is mahājana. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is mahājana. Kumāra, the four Kumāras, Sanaka, Sanātana, they are also mahājanas. And these four, they have got their disciplic succession: from Brahmā, the Brahma-sampradāya; from Śambhu, Viṣṇu Svāmī sampradāya—from Lakṣmī, Śrī-sampradāya; and from Kumāra, this Nimbārka-sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. Unless one who comes through the sampradāya, their principles are not authorized.

And Kṛṣṇa also says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Paramparā, sampradāya. Kṛṣṇa also says. So this is very important. Unless one comes to the disciplic succession, anything he prescribes, that is null and void. It is not to be accepted. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Prahlāda, Mahārāja Prahlāda, he is also.

So how they have become mahājana, that is also described. Mahājana means one who can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Supreme Lord. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he personally saw that the father is killed before him. But from material point of view, this is the most abominable, I mean to say, incident, that a son is seeing that his father is being killed before him without any protest. Similarly, Bali Mahārāja, he gave up the connection of his spiritual master. To give up the connection with spiritual master, that is also most abominable.

So these people became mahājanas because as soon as they saw that "My father or my spiritual master is against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such person immediately should be given up." Jīva Gosvāmī says . . . in Indian . . . according to Indian custom, there is a family spiritual master, family priest, family spiritual master. So Jīva Gosvāmī says that for advancement of spiritual life, one should give up the family spiritual master if he is not competent and accept actually a bona fide spiritual master.

Because people are under impression that . . . impression . . . it is a fact that one cannot give up the connection of the spiritual master. That is a great sin. But Jīva Gosvāmī says that if your family spiritual master does not help you in your matter of making progress in spiritual life, then you should give up his connection and accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is their direction. Gurur apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ, parityāgo vidhīyate: "If a spiritual master is not competent to help the disciple to make progress nicely, or if he goes against . . ."

Just like spiritual master of Bali Mahārāja, he tried to advise his disciple Bali Mahārāja not to give to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, as Vāmanadeva, came to ask some alms from the Bali Mahārāja, "Give Me some alms. I want three feet of land." And Śukrācārya prohibited, "He is Viṣṇu. He is asking you three feet of land, but He will take everything from you." So in this way, he was against this charity. And when Bali Mahārāja understood that, "For his personal interest, he is going against Viṣṇu," he immediately gave up his connection.

Similarly, the gopīs also, they flaunted the social law. At midnight they left their husbands and home and came to Kṛṣṇa. There are so many instances. For Kṛṣṇa's sake they sacrificed everything. They became, I mean to say, social outcaste. They transgressed the laws of the Vedas. But because they did it for Kṛṣṇa, they have been accepted as mahājanas, as authorities.

So prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam. These are twelve mahājanas. Just remember. The first one is Lord Brahmā, the second is Nārada, the third is Lord Śiva, and the fourth, the Kumāras, and the five, Kapila, and then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvān manave prāha (BG 4.1). This Manu, he is also mahājana. This, this time is going on, Vaivasvata Manu. Vivasvān manave prāha. Manu is also mahājana, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja, the father of Mother Sītā, he is also mahājana. And Bhīṣma.

Bhīṣma, the Grandfather Bhīṣma, he is also mahājana. Therefore Bhīṣma's instruction in the Bhāgavata should be taken seriously. And on his deathbed he instructed Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa also heard. So these are mahājanas. Bhīṣmo baliḥ, Bali Mahārāja. Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, he is mahājana. And vayam. Vayam means Yamarāja himself. He says, "We are also."

Then he says, guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā amṛtam aśnute. Dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ: "My dear boys, these twelve men . . ." Dvādaśa. Two and ten, dvādaśa. Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ: "We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand the principles of religion. Very difficult."

They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that, "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā . . ." Jñātvā means "If anyone understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion." Amṛtam aśnute.

Etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion? So he says, etāvān eva loke 'smin: "Especially in this material world," puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ, "this is the first-class religious principle." What is that? Bhakti-yogo bhagavati: "Of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That is first-class religion. Bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. Tan-nāma. And how it begins? "Simply by chanting His holy name." These are the authoritative statements of Yamarāja. Tam eva dharmam etāvān iti. This is dharma.

So our movement, the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, that is authorized. Here it is stated, tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. And you have seen that our . . . in Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva has also quoted many passages from Bible, the chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. So this chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, or God, is authorized. And actually the effect is being felt, because we are advised to execute this kind of religious principle according to the law, offenseless, and avoiding these four regulative principles. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and observing these rules and regulation, one is sure to go to home, go to back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it.

nāmoccāraṇa-māhātmyaṁ

hareḥ paśyata putrakāḥ

ajāmilo 'pi yenaiva

mṛtyu-pāśād amucyata

(SB 6.3.23)

Then he says the assistants, "My dear boys, just see how much powerful is the chanting of the holy name of God is that this Ajāmila, he did not directly mean to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, but indirectly, because he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, although this Nārāyaṇa was not the original Nārāyaṇa, his son, but it is so effective that he also became delivered." Nāmoccāraṇa-māhātmyaṁ hareḥ paśyata putrakāḥ, ajāmilo 'pi yenaiva mṛtyu-pāśāt: "He was saved from the imminent danger of death and being carried away by the Yamadūtas."

I think we have covered. Na tatra pramāṇaṁ vaktavyam: "How powerful is the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, or God, there is no need of evidences. Just see practically how it is being done." And Śrīdhara Svāmī says that na tatra pramāṇam vaktavyaṁ dṛṣṭaḥ syād ity āha nāmoccāraṇeti yenaiva kevalena sakṛd uccaritena. Once he uttered, simply, "Nārāyaṇa . . ." That's a fact. Once uttered, the holy name of God, without any offense, without any motive, immediately makes one free from this material world.

Any question?

Devotee (1): Does one have to be a pure devotee to be a . . .? The twelve authorities, are they all pure devotees?

Prabhupāda: Why do you ask this question? Huh? You have no sense. Without pure devotee, how they became authority? You are ask the question, "Is Mr. Rockefeller a rich man?" Your question is like that. He is known a very rich man, and he has foundation. If you ask, "Is he a rich man?" is that very intelligent question? Unless pure devotee, how they are authorized?

Devotee (1): What I was wondering about was the four Kumāras were . . . (indistinct) . . . and I wanted to ask about Lord Kapila.

Prabhupāda: Kapilo manuḥ.

Devotee (1): They weren't pure devotees right from . . . they weren't devotees right from the first. The Nectar of Devotion says that the four Kumāras were first situated in the . . .

Prabhupāda: Right from the . . . what do you mean by "Right from the first"? What do you mean by that? Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī was a minister of Muhammadan government. So what is his position? He was minister, he was working under government service, and he was rejected by the brāhmaṇa community. Then how he became gosvāmī?

Devotee (1): From the beginning of their . . .

Prabhupāda: Beginning . . . Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was a magistrate. What do you mean by "beginning"? As soon as he is situated in his own original position, then he is pure devotee. That's all. It doesn't matter what he has done in the past. It is called nagna-mātṛkā. Nagna-mātṛkā, that one's mother was naked in her childhood. So one is asking, "Mother, why you are putting on those sārīs? You were naked. You can remain naked."

This kind of argument is no argument. Whatever one may be in his past, that's all right. As soon as he is situated in pure devotee, devotional state, that's all. One hasn't got to inquire "from the beginning" or "from the end." There is no need of such inquiry. As soon as he is situated in his original position, hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6), gives up nondevotional activities, but is situated in devotional service, immediately he is all right, pure devotee. Doesn't matter whether he was in the beginning. Because even a person, ordinary person, ordinarily, he is not contaminated. He lives aloof from this material existence. But for sometimes, even if he is influenced, that doesn't matter. As soon as he comes to his real position, he is a pure devotee.

There is no question of tracing his past history. There is no question. You be situated in pure devotional service; you are pure devotee. That's all. There is no question of inquiring what he was in the past. That doesn't matter. Is it clear? Yes. Just like Ajāmila. In the past history he, simply sinful, Jagāi-Mādhāi, simply sinful, but as soon as they come to the position of pure devotional life, he is pure. That's all. Yes.

Yamunā: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Kumāra-sampradāya, yes. Kumāra-sampradāya. That is called Nimbārka-sampradāya. Nimbārka. N-i-m-b-a-r-k-a. Nimbārka-sampradāya.

Yamunā: And Janaka, isn't he . . .?

Prabhupāda: Janaka. Janaka Mahārāja. Yes. King Janaka. He's the father of Sītā, Janaka Mahārāja. He was a great king, but he had no attachment. Even great sages used to go to learn from him about spiritual affairs. He was so . . . such a great personality, although he was a king and gṛhastha. All of them are gṛhasthas. Lord Svayambhū, Brahmā, he is also gṛhastha. Nārada is brahmacārī. Śambhu, he is also gṛhastha; he has his wife. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20), he is also gṛhastha. Kumāraḥ, they are brahmacārīs. And Manu, he is also gṛhastha, Prahlāda Mahārāja, gṛhastha; Janaka, gṛhastha; Bhīṣma, brahmacārī; and Yamarāja, a gṛhastha. So the number of gṛhasthas are greater than the brahmacārīs, but they are mahājanas.

It doesn't matter whether he is a gṛhastha or brahmacārī. Just like we are practically following. We are giving equal rights to everyone. Either gṛhastha or brahmacārī or sannyāsī, the main center is Kṛṣṇa. One who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all right. It doesn't matter what he is. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation.

kibā śūdra, kibā vipra, nyāsī kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya

(CC Madhya 8.128)

Anyone who is conversant, well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. He is mahājana. He is following actually the mahājanas.

Revatīnandana: In the Bhāgavatam and also in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya you talk about the oṁkāra and tat tvam asi (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7) vibration. Now, the impersonalists improperly emphasize tat tvam asi over the original oṁkāra. I was wondering what are the significance of these two vibrations, and what is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa? What is tat tvam asi?

Prabhupāda: Oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa also. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Why not oṁkāra? So tat tvam asi means "You are the same." Tat tvam asi. That means you are spirit soul. So what is the objection? And for every Vedic mantra, the oṁkāra is there. Praṇāma. Every Vedic mantra. Just like we also chant oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramam. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. So every Vedic mantra is preceded by the oṁkāra.

So who is going to mop these two rooms? The ladies should. Yes. It is the ladies' business. Ladies' business. First after this, cleansing of the . . . (indistinct) . . . then get some flowers, change dress. This is the procedure. And then offer breakfast. In this way. Very good. (break) (end)